Ontario’s Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, has reached out to her federal counterpart, Mark Holland, urging him to address a loophole that has led to a worrying increase in clinics that charge for primary healthcare services. In her communication, Jones expressed concern over non-physicians, including nurse practitioners, who charge for services that are typically publicly funded under the Canada Health Act (CHA).
Jones highlighted that while Ontario supports over two dozen nurse practitioner-led clinics through direct funding, there has been a rise in clinics operating outside the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). These clinics, found in major cities like Toronto and Ottawa, often require patients to pay substantial annual membership fees to access necessary care.
The growth of these pay-for-care clinics, according to Jones, threatens to undermine the substantial investments Ontario has made to expand access to primary care. She stressed the need for a national approach to prevent non-physician healthcare providers from moving to other provinces where they might continue to engage in similar practices.
In response, a spokesperson for Mark Holland indicated that a forthcoming Canada Health Act interpretation letter would address these concerns. This document is expected to clarify the act’s stipulations regarding the modernization of healthcare services, including virtual care and telemedicine, as well as expanding the scope of practice for health workers such as nurse practitioners. The goal, according to the spokesperson, is to ensure that all Canadians can access medically necessary care without financial barriers, regardless of their location or how they receive care.
This interaction underscores the ongoing dialogue between federal and provincial governments to adapt healthcare policies to current needs and challenges, particularly in a landscape altered by technological advances and evolving healthcare roles.
